Veneer clipper and control means thereof



Feb. 194:5. v J. MILLER 2,39%,324

VENEER CLIPPER AND CONEROL MEANS THEREOF Fiied April 26, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 5, m6;

w. J. MILLER 4,324

VENEER CLIPPER AND CONTROL MEANS THEREOF 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26 1943 Jags ,/23 V o I31" //0 1/2 //3 7/4 a v 6 a l /20 =1 :1 i. ,1; =1.

INVENTOR. M/Aamr MAZV/er Feb 5, 194%. w. J. MILLER 2,394,324

VENEER CLIPPER AND CONTROL MEANS THEREOF Filed April 26, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 A rromvsy Patented Feb. 5, 1946 I VENEER CLIPPER AND-CONTROL MEANS TnEREoF William J. Miller, Seattle, Wash, assignor to Elliott Bay Mill 00., Seattle, Wash, a corporatlon of Washington Application April 26. 1943, Serial No. 484,673

11 Claims.

My invention relates to veneer clippers and control means for the same.

An obiect of my invention is to provide an efllcient veneer clipper for clipping up into pieces a moving sheet of veneer.

Another object is to provide eflicient means for manually controlling the clipper to cut the veneer into pieces of varying width or for automatically controlling the clipper to cut the veneer into pieces of predetermined standard widths.

Another object is to provide a veneer clipper and control therefor which is very fast and very accurate in operation thereby making it possible to cut up moving veneer as it comes from the peelers in such a manner as to reduce waste to a 'minimum and most efliciently utilize the stock.

Another object is to provide an eflicient veneer clipper having a clipping knife which will clip moving veneer feeding means without stopping the veneer and without moving the knife along with the veneer at the time the cut is being made.

Another object is to provide a veneer clipper having a reciprocable veneer clipping knife and having eflicient shock absorbing means for cushioning the movement of said knife.

Other objects will be apparentfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. I,

In the drawings, Figure l, is an elevation looking in the direction of the line I-I of Fig. 2, of a veneer clipper constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken substantially on broken line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view with parts in section looking down substantially on broken line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and showing a fragment of a control device connected with the clipper; Fig. 4 is a detached sectional view taken substantially on broken line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing shock absorbing means; Fig. 5 is a detached view showing the operation of link means by which the knife is stroked; Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram showing electrical connections to the clipper and control means; Fig. 7 is a detached plan view on a larger scale than the preceding figures showing a control device; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of said control device looking in the direction indicated by broken line 88 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on broken lines 99 of Figs. 7 and 8; Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragv mentary view partly in section and partly in elevation taken substantially on broken line I0--I0 of Fig. 9, and Fig. 11 is a view partly in section and partly in plan taken substantially on broken line II-.-II of Fig. 10.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

The veneer clipper shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive comprises two upright end frame plates I5 and I 6 supported on base frame means It and maintained in spaced apart relation by transverse frame bars I I positioned near the upper ends of the plates I 5 and IB and other transverse frame bars I8 spaced below said upper frame bars II.

A die block I9, Fig. 2, is supported by the frame bars I8 and a reciprocable knife 20 is supported from the frame bars I! by means hereinafter described.

Preferably the die block I9 is of a material, such as hard wood, that is suitable for the knife 2|) to cut against and soft enough so that it will not dull said knife.

The die block I9 is preferably supported in a channel iron 2I that rests on a plate 22. The plate 22 is supported on the frame bars I8. Preferably clamping plate means 23 and screw means 24 rigidly secure the die block I9 in the channel iron 2|. Also preferably the channel iron is adjustably supported at each end by cap screws 25 thus making transverse adjustment of the die block I9 possible.

The veneer is preferably fed to the clipper by endless traveling conveyor means 26, Figs. 2 and 3 and may be taken away by discharge conveyor means 27, Fig. 2. Veneer supports 28, substantially flush with the die block I9 may be used to bridge the space between the die block I9 and the conveyors 26 and 21.

The knife 20 is preferably secured to an angle bar 29, Fig. 2, by holding screws 20 and adjustment screws 3i. The holding screws extend through slots 32 in the knife and are threaded into the angle bar 29. The adjusting screws 3| are threaded through the top flange of the angle bar 29 and are engaged by the top edge of the knife 20.

The knife 20 is guided and supported against tipping movement by a plurality of links I3 each preferably having one end portion rigidly connected with the angle bar 29 and the other end portion pivotally supported as by a pivotal support or shaft I2 that preferably extends across the machine between the two end plates I5 and I6 and is pivotally connected with said end plates. The pivotal support I2 is positioned above will have a component of motion in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of the incoming veneer and as said knife moves back upwardly after making the cut it will tend to boost ahead and out of the way of the piece of veneer that has Just been cut off.

This particular movement of the knife in an arcuate path has been found to produce a clean and satisfactory cut and it does not interfere with the even and continuous flow or travel of the veneer through the trimmer, even though the veneer is stopped for an instant at the time the knife strikes it. The veneer is flexible and the knife operates at fast speed and the slight stoppage of movement of the portions of veneer adjacent the knife is compensated for by a flexing or arching of the on-coming veneer so that there is no stopping or retardation of the movement of the sheet of veneer that is being fed to the clipper.

The angle bar 29 which carries the knife 20, is connected by pivots 33 with the lower ends of link members 34. The upper ends of the link members 34 are connected by pivots 35 with the lower end portions of lever arms 36. The lever arms 33 are mounted on a floating shaft 31 and extend in two directions from said shaft. The upper end portions of the lever arms 36 are connected by pivots 38 with links .39. The upper end portions of the links 39 are connected by pivots 40 with transverse frame bars 4| that are supported on and secured to the angle bars i! at the top of the frame. 7

A pneumatic cylinder 42 is fixedly secured to the frame of the machine by supporting means 43. A piston 44 in the cylinder 42 is connected by piston rod means 45 and pivot 46, Figs. 2 and 3, with a crank 41 that is secured to the rock shaft 31. Two air supp y conduits 48 and 49, Fig. 6, extend from an electrically controlled air valve 50 to the cylinder 42. The valve 50 is connected by a conduit with a suitable supply of compresse air.

The floating shaft 31 is also connected with a plurality of substantially horizontal link members 52 that each have one end portion pivotally connected with the shaft 31 and the other end portion connected by pivot means 53 with fixed means 53'.

When the piston 44 in the air cylinder 42 is reciprocated it will rock the shaft 31 and this will reciprocate the knife 20, as will be apparent from Fig. 5, the knife 20 being moved downwardly and then upwardly as the pivots 35, 31 and 38 move through the positions shown in said Fig. 5, each time the piston 44 moves from one end of its cylinder to the other.

It will thus be apparent from the foregoing descrption and from the diagram, Fig. 5, that a stroke or single movement of the piston 44 in either direction will impart a full reciprocation to the knife 20, i. e., a single piston stroke will impart both a downward and a retractile movement to the knife. The piston 44 is actuated by compressed air and the movemenirof the piston and the knife 20 is very rapid. For this reason emcient means must be provided to absorb the shock which would otherwise result from the stopping of these rapidly moving parts.

To absorb this shock, which, if not cushioned, would result in damage to the machine, I provide a plurality of shock absorbers preferably of duplicate construction. In Figs. 1 and 3, I show two of these shock absorbers and one of said shock absorbers is shown in longitudinal section in P18. 4.

aacasac Each shock absorber, see Fig. 4, comprises two cylinders 54 and 55 of larger and smaller size positioned one within the other so as tov leave a chamber 53 between said two cylinders. The inner cylinder 55 has longitudinally extending openings 51 in its walls through which liquid, such as oil may flow. A reciprocable piston 58 in each cylinder 55 is connected by piston rod means 59 with a crank member 59' on the floating shaft 31. The cylinders 54 and 55 are secured to the frame of the machine by frame means 43 and contain liquid, such as oil preferably to about the ton. As the piston nears the end of its stroke the area of the openings 51 through which the oil in front of the piston must escape is rapidly decreased and this builds up a uniformly increasing pressure against the piston which brings the piston and parts connected therewith to a gradual rather than anabrupt stop. Thus eflicient shock absorbing means is provided which makes possible high speed operation of the machine without damage to the machine.

The two arms of each lever 36, i. e. the parts of said lever that extend in opposite directions from the shaft 31, function as independent levers, the parts that extend in a generally upward direction being supported by the links 39 and the parts that extend in a generally downward direction supporting the knife 20,

The means for controlling operation of. the pneumatic cylinder 42 is hereinafter described.

The control devices are best shown in Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive. These control devices comprise supportingmeans, such as a table 60 supporting an upright frame member 6|. Preferably the frame member BI is a rectangular metal frame secured to the table 60 and fixedly supported by truss braces 6i. Also preferably said frame member Bl has a central panel 62 of insulating material secured therein. The panel 62 is provided with a central opening 83 of circular shape within which a circular rotor is rotatively disposed. This rotor is preferably made up of a disc 64, a peripheral ring 55 and a flat face ring 66 a l secured together to provide an annular pocket 61 in the peripheral portion of the circular rotor.

The face disc 64 has a hub 64' that is fixedly secured to a shaft 63. The shaft 88 is joumaled inbearings 69. Frame means Iii mounted on the table 60 supportsthe bearings 69.

A non-rotatable disc H has a tubular hub portion I2 that is slidably and freely mounted on an end portion of the shaft 38. The peripheral portion of the non-rotatable disc II is positioned within the annular pocket Gl'formed by parts 64, 65 and 66 of the rotor. The nonrotatable disc I I is adapted to be moved a limited distance longitudinally of shaft 68 for the purpose of retracting certain contact pins I3, as hereinafter explained.

The disc 54 and face ring 68 of the rotor carry a plurality of the contact pins 13. These contact pins I3 are arranged in a circular path and are slidably supported by the disc 6.4 and ring 63 so that selected contact pins 13 may be pro- Jected outwardly from the ring 99 beyond the other :pins to cause said outwardly projecting pins t' close electrical circuits as hereinafter explaine as the rotor rotates. Each contact pin 79 is provided with a fixed collar I4 that is positioned between the face disc 94 and the nonrotatable disc II. The collars H on allof the contact pins I9 overhang the peripheral portion of the non-rotatable disc I! so that when said non-rotatable disc II is moved to the right from the cylinder 99 as hereinafter explained; Two

the position in which it is shown in Fig. 9, it will move to the right all contact pins that previously have been projected to the left into the path of certain electrical contact devices hereinafter described.

In the particular machine herein disclosed it has been found desirable to provide sixty-eight of the contact pins I9 and to space these pins equal distances apart. It will be understood, however, that the number and spacing of' these con'-. tact pins 19 may be varied.

A plurality of'contact bars I5, I9, 11 and I8 are positioned outwardly from the periphery of the rotor 94, 85, 88 and supported by the upright frame means 92 in spaced and electrically insulated relation from each other. Each of these contact bars carries a contact member I9 that is adjustable on its bar and eachcontact member resilient bumper members 92 are provided on the cam shaft 99 and are adapted'to bump against a bearing member 99 to cushion and arrest movement of the cam shaft 99 in both directions.

Each time the cam shaft 91 is moved longitudinally from one position to another the nonrotatable disc II will be moved first to the right as respects the showing in Fig. 9 and then to the left. The means for operating the piston 9! is hereinafter described.

The upright cam lever 94 may limit movement of the disc II to the left, as respects the showing in Fig. 9, so that the peripheral portion of the disc II will not be subject to wear by the rotating member 99. I

The means for moving selected pins I9 into an operative or contacting position, i. e. to the left as the rotor member rotates I9 carries a spring brush 80 that extends toward the center of the rotor and is positioned so that it will be engaged by any outwardly projected contact pin I9 that passes it. Contact pins I9 that are retracted into the position shown in Figs. 7 and 9 will not contact the spring brushes 80 as said pins pass said brushes. However, if any of said contact pins are moved outwardly into Fig. 9, against the rotor member 68 by two tension springs 8|, Figs. 7 and 9, positioned on opposite sides of the hub I2 and each having one end connected with the hub I2 andthe other-end connected with a fixed cross bar 92. Thecross bar 82 is supported by an upright post 99 that is rigid with the table 80.

Means are provided for moving the non-rotat able disc II to the right as respects the showing in Fig. 9, to retract all'contact pins I9 that pro-- viously have been projected outwardly into the path of the contact springs 80. This means comprises an upper cam lever 84 fulcrumed on a pivot 85 and having its upper end portion positioned in engagement with the end of the tubular hub member I2 of the disc II. A double acting cam 88 on a reciprocable cam shaft 91 is positioned to engage with a roller or sleeve 89 on the cam lever 94 and is adapted to move the upper end portion of the lever 96 and the non-rotatable disc II to the right as respects the showing in Fig. 9. The cam shaft 81 is supported for longitudinal movement in bearings 99 and extends into a pneumatic cylinder 90. A piston 9| shown by dotted lines in Figs. 7 and 8 is secured to the cam shaft 81 within the pneumatic cylinder 99 and the cam shaft 87 is adapted to be longitudinally the position shown by broken lines I9 in Fig. -11,

nally move said shaft 94.

as respects the showing in Fig. 9, so that said pins will contact the spring contact members 99 preferably. comprises an arm 99 secured to 1 bar or shaft 94 and having an end portion. adapted, when in the position shown by full lines in Figs. 10 and 11. to overlap the ends of one or more of the pins I9. The shaft 94 is movable reciprocably with the disc II, as hereinafter explained.

Preferably the arm 99 is urged upwardly against a stop member 99, Figs. 10 and 11, .by a tension spring 91. This yieldingly supports the arm 99 in such a manner that said arm'will easily be depressed out of the way of pins I9 that come in contact with the top edge of said arm.

The shaft 94 is supported for longitudinal and rotary movement in bearing members 99 and is provided with a grooved collar 99-that is-engaged by a lever I00 which is fulcrumed on a pivot MI and is adapted, when oscillated, to longitudi- Means for moving the lever I 09 to move the arm 99 in timed relation with the movement of the disc II is provided. This lever moving means is arranged to operate at the time the pin setting disc II is being recipproper setting of all of the pins I9.

This lever moving means comprises a downwardly extending arm I02 rigidly connected with the tubular hub portion I2 of the disc 'II and engaging with the lever arm I99. When the disc II is moved to the right. Fi .9, far enough to fully retract all pins I9 that are not already retracted the arm 99 will be moved clear of the path of the pins I9 into a position as shown in Fig. 11. When this occurs thespring 91 will lift the arm 99 until it engages the stop 99. in which position the end portion 99 of said arm 99 will be opposite the ends of some of said pins as shown by broken lines in Fig. 10 and by full lines in Fig. 11. As the disc Ii moves back to the left, Fig. 9, the arm 99 will be moved to the left with it and at least one of the pins I9 will be moved to theleft into contacting position by the end portion 95 of said arm 99.

Due to'the shape of the arm 99-99 said arm will ordinarily move two or three of the pins I9 out into contacting position each time it is operated and I have illustrated by broken lines I9 in Fig. 11, the positions which two of these pins will occupy when they are moved outwardly a longitudinally movable tion because it several adjacent pins II are first engage a predetermined contact brush and the successive pins may maintain this circuit closed a little longer but will not affect the operation of the machine.

The supply of compressed air to the pneumatic cylinder 80 is governed by an electrically controlled air valve I08 that is connected by two conduits I01 and I08 with the cylinder 80 and by another conduit I08 with a source of supply of air under pressure. The supply of electric current'to. a double acting solenoid I08 of the electrically controlled valve I08 is governed by means hereinafter described and shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6.

.A double acting solenoid I04 is connected with the valve 80 by which the operation of the clipper is controlled.

In the operation of the control means for this clipper the operator is preierably positioned on the opposite side of the veneer conveyor 28, Fig. 3, from the control device and just far enough ahead of the clipper to enable him to get a good view of the veneer that is approaching the clipper. From this position the operator controls the clipper 'by' the use of a plurality of electric switches III), III, II2, III and II4 seeFlg. 8, which may be oi the push button type.

As the peeled veneer comes from the log it will usually be of varying quality, with portions that are suitable for use and other portions that must be cut out and discarded because they have pitch pockets, knots or the like which render,them defective.

If the veneer that is passing under the knife at a particular time is free from defective portlons that have to be discarded then the operator will close one of theswitches III, II2, III or H4 and the machine will operate automatically to cut at intervals of twenty-four, thirty, thirty-four or forty-eight inches respectively depending on which width of strip is desired. Usually pieces will be cut to forty-eight inch width whenthe veneer permits. An experienced operator is able to judge very accurately as respects the number and the width of pieces of good veneer to be obtained from a run of ven er between two defects. For instance, he may be able to cut one fortyeight inch piece and one twenty-four inch piece or one forty-eight inch and one thirty-six inch piece or he may find it necessary to cut a piece of less than twenty-four inches in which instance he operates the switch IIO Just before the defect comes under the knife.

By use of the switch IIO it is possible tocut Y pieces of very narrow widths for instance an operator may salvage a six inch strip of good material that lies between two defects in thestock.

The switches herein shown will operate the parts with which they are connected when they are moved from open to closed position but obviously circuits could be provided which would operate upon the opening of switches.

The valves 80 and I08 are preferably of similar construction, as shown in Fig. 8. Each of said valves has a main cylinder 8 connected with an air intake portw III, an air exhaust port H8 and with two ports II'I-and II8 that communicate with the pneumatic cylinders 44 and 80. Each valve 80 and III has a piston rod I20 provided with two spaced apart pistons I2I and assess;

In Fig. 8, I28 and I24 indicate electrical conclusters that are,connected with a source oi supply of electric current. dicate other conductors and I32 indicates a brush member that completes a circuit through the rotor 84-88-88 to the contact members I3.

- The rotor 84-88-88 is driven from the same means that drives the feed for the veneer so that the speed of the rotor is always synchronized with the speed of movement of the veneer. The rotor driving means herein disclosed, see Figs. 2, 3 and'l, comprises a sprocket wheel I35 connected by a link belt I88 with another sprocket wheel I81 on a shaft I88. A roller or wheel I88 on shaft I88 is positioned so that the veneer runs under it and drives both the shaft I38 and the shaft 88 that carries the rotor. Arms I40 may support the shaft I88 so that it is aiiorded a limited vertical movement and the frame member I8 may have a slot I4I therein for clearance of this shaft, see Fig. I.

' The switch IIO provides 'a manual control by which the operator can clip the veneer at any desired location. When this switch is closed a circuit is completed to the solenoid from source of supply conductor I24 along conductor I3I, through switch I I0, along conductor I25. through the solenoid I04 and along conductor I30 to source of supply conductor I23. At this same time a circuit will be completed through the solenoid I08. and the disc II and arm 93 will be reciprocably moved to replace any pin -members I8 that have been in contacting position as respects the contact members 80 and to put a new pin out into contacting position. It will be noted taht, at each clipping stroke of the knife. all

previously set contact members are moved back into neutral positions and a new contact member I8 is moved out into contacting position. Thus after each clipping operation a contact member 28 is moved into a'contacting position at the same or a starting position on the contact rotor. Each contact member I8 thus set or moved outwardly at the starting position will successively make electrical contact with the brushes 80 as it moves around with therctor, provided the said contact member 18 is allowed to remain in a set or contacting position. However an operation of the clipper knife will always be accompanied by operations that will retract ali'previously set contact members and set a new contact member.

If none of the'switches m, m, m or m is closed a contact pin I8 may make electrical contact with any or all of the brushes 80 without operating the machine. Thus when manually controlled operation is desired for narrow and random width cuts only the switch IIO will be 7 used and the knife will be stroked each time the circuit that is controlled by this switch is closed.

If, after a out has been made and a contact pin I8 ushed out. the switch III is promptly closed and held closed the circuit will be completed through conductor I28 to the contact brush I20 to I8l inclusive in- I 80 on the segment I! and when the outwardly protruding contact pin 13 makes electrical con- "tact with this brush'the circuits through both solenoids I04 and Hill will be closed and the machine. operated. This will clip a piece of veneer of predetermined width depending on the distance of the contact brush 80 from the location at which the pin 13 is pushed out. As long as the switch H! is helddown .the machine will continue to cut pieces of veneer of this predetermined width.

Similarly if one of the switches H2. H3 or H4 is held closed a circuit will be completed through the conductor 4.21, I28, or I28 to the contact .brush on the segment 18, I! or I8 and the machine will clip at a diiferentpredetermined width.

The location at which a contact pin 13 is moved out into contactingposi-tion may be regarded as a starting location Lin measuring the width df a cut and the distance from this starting position of the energized contact brush 80 through which the circuit is to be completed will determine the width of cut. f

The members 19 are adjustable on the seg ments 16, l8. l1 and 18 to provide for varying the widths of cut. Applicant has found it advan- I by said her synchronized with said material feeding means;

rotor member and each movable between a retracted position and a contacting position; means operable synchronously with the clipper for moving a contact member into contacting pochronized with said material feeding means; a

position;

tageous to control the clipping of all widths up to twenty-four inches with the switch 0' and to adjust the several contact brushes 80 so that the machine will clip at twenty-four, thirty, thirty-six and forty-eight inches in response to the closing of the respective switches Ill, 2. H3 and Ill. Thus the operator will use the switch llll to cut out defective portions in the veneer and to salvage'usable portions of from a few inches wide up to about twenty-four inches wide and will usethe switches Ill, H2, H3 and H4 to cut to predeterminedstandardized widths the veneer which has no objectionable defects.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings disclose a preferred'embodiment of my invention but it will beunderstood that changes in the same may be made within the scope and v spirit of the following claims.

Iclaim: Y e 1. In a veneer clipper, veneer feeding means; a knife movable to cut veneer; pneumatic knife moving means connected with said knife; electric circuit,means controlling the operation of said knife moving means; driven circuit control means for said electric circuit means synchronized with the veneer feeding means; and manual circuit control means interconnected with said driven circuit control means predetermining the time of operation of said driven circuit control means.

2. In a veneer clipper, veneer feeding means; a knife movable to out veneer; knife moving means connected with said knife; electric circuit means controlling the operation of said knife moving means; driven circuit control means for said electric circuit means synchronized with the veneer feeding means operable to out strips of veneer of predetermined uniform widths; manual circuit control means interconnected with said driven circuit control means providing selectivity of different uniform widths of cut; and other manual circuit control means dominant over said driven circuit control means providing independent control of said knife moving means for random widths of cut.

3. Control means for a clipper that is provided with feeding means for feeding sheet material plurality of spaced apart contact pins supported by said rotor in a circular path' and each movablesaid circuit means.

5. Control means fora clipper thatis provided with feeding means for feeding sheet material therethrough, comprising a rotatively mounted rotor member; drive means for, said rotor member synchronized with said material feeding means; a plurality of contact members carried by said rotor member and each movable between a retracted position and a contacting position; pneumatic means operable synchronously with the clipper for moving a contactpin into contacting position and for retracting previously set contact pins at each cutting operation of the clipper; a

plurality of contact brushes supported in spaced apart relatively insulated relation and extending into the path traversed by contact pins that are in contacting position; pneumatic clipper operating means connected with said clipper and circuit means connected with said brushes and said rotor and controlling the operation of the pneumatic clipper operating means for said clipper and the pneumatic means for positioning said contact pins.

6. Control means for a clipper that is provided with feed means forfeeding sheet material therethrough, comprising a table; an upright frame carried by said table and having a circular opening therein; a contact carrying rotor supported for rotation within said opening; a plurality of contact pins carried by said rotor and each movable between a retracted position and'a contacting position; a plurality of contact segments supported by saidframe around said opening and in relatively insulated relation; a contact brush ad- Justably connected with each of said contact segments and extending into the path of movement traversed by said contact pins when said contact pins are in contacting position; circuit means connected with said brushes and said rotor and controlling the operation of said clipper; and drive means for said rotor synchronized with said material feeding means.

7. Control means for a clipper that is provided a plurality of contact members carried with feeding means for feeding sheet material therethrough, comprising a table; an upright frame carried by said table and having a circular opening therein; a rotor member supported for rotation within said opening; drive means for said rotor synchronized with said material feeding means; a plurality of contact pins supported by said rotor in a circular path and each movable between a retracted position and a contacting position; means operable synchronously with the clipper for moving a contact pin into contacting position and for retracting previously set contact pins at each cutting operation of the clipper; a plurality of contactsegments supported by said frame around said opening and in relatively insulated relation; a contact brush adiustably connected with each of said contact segments and extending into the path traversed by contact pins that are in contacting position; and circuit means connected with said brushes and said rotor and controlling the operation of said clipper.

8. In a veneer clipper, a floating shaft; two sets of levers rigid with said floating shaft and extending in opposite directions therefrom; shaft supporting links each having one end portion pivotally connected with a lever of the set that extend in one direction from said shaft; fixed pivot means pivotally supporting the other end portion of eachshaft supporting link; knife carrying links each having one end portion connected with a lever of the set that extends in the opposite direction; said shaft supporting links and said knife carrying links extending in generally opposite directions from said shaft; other link means connected with said floating shaft limiting movement of said floating shaft in directions'generally transverse to the plane of said veneer is approaching and supporting the outer end portion of said link means, said link means guiding said knife in an arcuate path as it is moved toward and away from the die member and impartin to said knife as said knife withdraws from the veneer a component of movement coinciding with the direction of. movement of the veneer and boosting the several pieces of veneer forward. 1

10. In a veneer clipper, a die member; a knife reciprocably supported above said die member for movement toward and away from the die member; pneumatic knife reciprocating means connected with said knife; and hydraulic shock absorber means operatively connected with said knife and said knife reciprocating means providing a gradually increasing shock absorbing resistance tending to arrest movement of said knife and said knife reciprocating means at the end of each cycle of operation 11. In a veneer clipper, a die member; a knife reciprocably supported above said die member for movement toward and away from the die shaft supporting links and said knife carrying links; knife means connected with the outer end portions of said knife carrying links and reciprocable by oscillation of said floating shaft; shaft oscillating means including a reciprooable piston rod; and a shaft oscillating lever secured to said shaft and pivotally connected with said piston rod, said shaft oscillating lever being positioned so that when said shaft oscillating lever and. said shaft and said two sets of levers are moved in one direction by a stroke of said reciprocable piston rod the pivotal connections of said two sets of levers with their respective links will be moved from one side to the other 019. center line that is substantially common to said flxe'd pivot means. said shaft and the pivots that connect saidknife carrying links and said knife to thereby impart a complete downward and upward siggike to said knife at each stroke of said piston r member; intermittently movable oscillatory crank :means connected with said knife adapted to reciprooate said knife at each movement thereof; and hydraulic shock absorber means connected with said crank means to absorb the shock at the end of each reciprocation of the knife. said shock absorber means comprising a cylinder; a reciprocable piston therein; a piston rod connecting the piston and the crank means; a fluid chamber of larger size than said cylinder surrounding the cylinder; fluid in the chamber substantially submerging the cylinder; and a fluid passageway in the walls of the cylinder extending substantially throughout the length of stroke of the piston, the medial portion of said pasageway being of relatively large area and said passageway converging gradually toward both ends whereby fluid resistance to the movement of the piston will increase as said piston moves in either direction from its mid position. i

, WILLIAM J. MILLER. 

